Croatian broadcaster HRT have been fined 10,000 Swiss francs for breaching the rules of the 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

The EBU have confirmed to esctoday.com that the fine was handed out “because they violated the rules and decided in the last minute not to broadcast the show live on one of their main terrestrial channels, as the rules clearly states.”

In the week leading up to the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest in Bucharest, a joint investigation between esctoday.com and partner website www.eurovision-croatia.com received assurances from HRT Croatia that the show would be broadcast on the terrestrial channel, however the show was only broadcast on a satellite channel with very few Croatians able to see it.

The steering group had the choice of fining the Croatian broadcaster or banning them from participation for up to three years for failing to broadcast the 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest live on terrestrial teleivision after giving specific promises to that effect.

It was clear last year that Croatia would not be participating at the 2007 event, so imposing a ban would not have had an effect. The financial penalty is not too severe, but with the change to the 2007 rules, relaxing the broadcaster’ mandate to air the Junior Eurovision Song Contest live, it could not be to severe either.